Racing is a way of life for me

10:30am Monday 18th February 2008

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AFTER winning the British 125cc title in 1992, Neil Hodgson spent 15 years racing around the world - until 2007.

Despite earning podium finishes in four rounds of the AMA Championship in 2006, there was no place for him on last year's grid.

Forced to take a year off, Hodgson has had time to reflect on a lifetime in the saddle - and how much he missed the sport.

He said: "It's made me realise how much this sport means to me, and that's been one massive positive.

"I've been immersed in motorcycle racing since I was nine, That's when I started, and I'm now 33. When you're immersed in it you get to the point where you start to think, Well, I've maybe got a year left in me and I'll retire and do something else.' "And having a year off has made me realiSe how much I've missed the competition and I'm so not ready to retire.

"I feel I've still got that burning desire to win. The big positive is, I think the lay-off has really extended my career, prevented me from maybe retiring and then looking back in three or four years' time thinking, 'Why did I do that?'"